Finally your pregnancy test is positive and you are pregnant, but what needs to be done now? What will happen to you in the 9 months until your baby arrives? Below is a short checklist so that you know what needs to be arranged.
You are pregnant, what now?
Your pregnancy test is positive: you are pregnant. What should be done now?
Midwife appointment
If your test turns out to be positive, you do not need to make an appointment with your GP first, although it is useful to call the practice so that your GP knows. You can now find a midwife and call them. They will then make an appointment with you for the first check. This check will take place in the 6th week of your pregnancy.
Arrange maternity care
Register for maternity care on time. If you don’t know how and when, ask your midwife. You will probably have already received the necessary information from your midwife.
Arrange childcare in advance
Do you plan to send your baby to childcare once your leave is up? Then it certainly wouldn’t hurt to look into the types of childcare and which one you would prefer. If you already know which days this would be, you could already register your baby. There may be a waiting list, this varies per city and can be anywhere from a few weeks to even a few months! That is why it is sometimes necessary to arrange things on time.
Decorate baby room
It is generally stated that you should start preparing your nursery around 20 weeks of your pregnancy. In the 27th week of your pregnancy, someone from maternity care will come to your home to give you information and also to check whether you have the supplies for the baby’s room and the birth in order.
Choosing a birth announcement A few months before the birth it is time to choose a birth announcement. You can visit a printing company for this, but you can also order your tickets online. Once you have given birth, you can provide the last details for the card and you can then collect your cards or receive them at home within 3 working days.
Arrange your maternity package
Between week 20 and week 27 it is time to prepare your maternity package. The maternity package contains items you will need for the (home) birth.
Pack your things
About a week to a few days before the due date for your delivery, it is useful to pack your bag in the case of a hospital birth. Even if you are planning a home birth, it is still useful to pack a bag. In your bag you should take the following items:
- Clothes for 1 to 2 days
- toiletries
- maternity package
- and so on
What is in the maternity package?
You can buy a complete maternity package at some drugstores such as Kruidvat and Etos. You can also purchase the items separately. You will receive a list for this from maternity care. The following items are included in the maternity package:
- 1 mattress protector
- 1 pack of sanitary towels
- 2 maternity mattresses
- 1 pack of nursing pads
- 5 coasters
- 1 bag of cotton wool
- 1 umbilical cord clamp
- 1 box of gauze compresses
- 1 bottle of alcohol 70%
- 1 roll of adhesive plasters
- 2 packs of maternity bandages
If you still have items from your package after your maternity period, you can hand them in at a collection point via: www.stichtingbabyhope.org. These items are then donated to women in developing countries.